A List Of Items Every Cosplayer Should Take To Comicon

Convention Season is upon us. Whether this is your very first convention, or you are raring up for your 20th, conventions can be overwhelming. I go to the same one every year, three years running, and every year even I forget something. So I figured it would be helpful to give you a little advice to make sure you survive your first Comicon.

I’ll break it down into sections for you to make it a bit easier:

First up, Electronics.

Camera, Batteries, Cards and Chargers. If you are going overseas, make sure that you also have travel adapters.

Cell phone Charger, Case, and Portable Battery. Nothing is worse than having a cosplayer pose and then your device dies.

As a gamer, I pack my gaming case and all the chargers. I always put them on charge as soon as I hit the hay, so they are good to go all day for the convention.

Second, Clothing.

I personally pack one outfit for every day I’m there, one fancy outfit, one jacket, and one sweater.

If I’m cosplaying, I list every piece to my cosplay and then check them off while I pack, so I don’t leave anything out. I am a notorious last minute packer, so this list saves my hide every year.

I also pack safety pins, a hot glue gun and sticks, tape, no sew glue, and yarn. I learned at my last C2E2 that my costume was not strong enough to hold my homemade tail, thankfully with these items packed, I was able to fashion my tail into a backpack and wear it that way.

Third, Hygiene.

Deodorant. I can’t stress this enough. Bring an extra one in your bag at all times. Conventions are ginormous and packed with people. It’s very similar to a can of sardines, you do NOT want to be the one person that someone notices doesn’t smell like a daisy.

Hair Products. I generally wear wigs with my costumes, just because I’m a huge fan of no hassle. I always pack bobby pins, hair brush, and comb, Curling Iron, and leave in conditioner. Don’t forget your hair ties, hair clips, and your wig cap. I also like to bring a shower cap just for emergencies.

Toothbrush, Toothpaste, and Mouthwash. Conventions are loud places, you’ll have to get close to people in order to communicate, it behooves you to pack the mouthwash just in case.

Feminine Products. I pack them just in case. You’d rather have and not need then need and not have.

Fourth, Geekdom.

One of my favorite things to do at conventions is getting my comics signed. I always create a list of the creators appearing at the convention and then make a list of what comics I have by what creator. That way I don’t miss anyone and can get everything signed in one day, and then the other two I can spend exploring.

If Photos are more your speed, make sure you pack an outfit-centric to that fandom when getting a photo op. I like to match mine so It has more of a theme. For Instance, I wore a Batman Symbol Raglan top when I went to get pictures with Adam West and Burt Ward.

Keep a close eye on your items. It’s just good practice to make sure you leave with what you came with.

The most important thing is to have fun! Conventions are ginormous meetings of like-minded individuals. You don’t want to waste time worrying about extra things when there is someone around the corner waiting to talk to you about the differences between Uhura and our new Vulcan Hybrid First Officer Burnham, right?